The 43-year-old said: "We are exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally, we have nowhere to turn. I have cried so much over this. We are trying desperately to get some help.

“We just feel sick with it. Ava can’t read, she can’t write, she uses sign language, she has no opportunity to fight for herself.

“We are a positive family, we just want what is best.

“They are financially limiting us as a family which means with the things she enjoys, that physically help her, we have to say, ‘Can we afford it?’”

Dad Graham is working in Germany with work, and only pays the equivalent of National Insurance in the UK.

But despite Ava and Laura now living in the country, having both been born in Britain, they're now faced with the dilemma of not being able to afford the disabled girl's care.

Laura blamed a lack of understanding or competence for the obvious error: “They said Ava is not disabled enough. They just don’t seem to know what they are doing. The whole thing has become a farce. The final kicker for us was they said we have to reapply for Ava’s DLA.

“They are implying it is Germany’s responsibility. She was born in Preston. She is a British citizen."

A DWP spokesman said: “Miss Jolliffe was originally awarded the care component of DLA in June 2014 in error. As her father works in Germany and pays the equivalent of National Insurance contributions there, Germany is the state responsible for providing that benefit.”

He added: “The higher rate of the mobility component of DLA is still being paid as this is a non-contributory benefit and therefore the UK is responsible for paying it under EU regulations.”